Italian beginners: module 1

Anna was drawn to London in her adolescence, by her love of English language and culture. She received a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and Modern Languages Teaching Certificate from Westminster College in 1996 and her Postgraduate diploma in Higher Education from Goldsmith University, in 1999. In 1997, she started teaching Italian at the London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martin, before moving to the London School of Economics, in 1999, where she is still working as a teacher and as a coordinator of Italian language. She started teaching adults at the City Lit in 1998, where she began to appreciate working with a wide range of students of various ages and backgrounds. She enjoys the social aspect and human contact of education, always reflected in her approach to teaching. In her classes she encourages interaction among students, which is the foundation of learning a language as she has experienced, whilst learning French a Spanish. Anna also taught Italian at the Courtauld Institute of Art between 2009 and 2019.

Teaching Italian is Evi’s passion and profession. She started in 2000 after graduating with a degree in Humanities. Her first teaching experience with children of refugees initiated her interest and she took an MA in teaching Italian as a foreign language at Perugia University. In 2002 Evi started travelling and worked as a lecturer at the Italian Culture Institute in Madrid and Prague. Since moving to London she has worked for various colleges and universities, including City Lit since 2008. In 2015 Evi also gained a PGCE in Teaching Adults from the University of Westminster. Following several years of studies and teaching experience, her method is modern and communicative where practice comes first and one can learn the language alongside discovering the culture and society of the country. Evi has a curious and open attitude towards life. Her love for languages and other cultures has deepened the appreciation she holds for her own. She loves to help students expand their cultural understanding as well as advance and enjoy their learning.

Ottavia Castellina is an art historian, photographer and tutor. After gaining a degree in Art History at Turin University she completed an MA in Photography at the London College of Communication. Over the past years she has been teaching Italian, art history and photography both in Italy and in the UK, while her photographic work has been internationally exhibited and published. She currently works as a photography lecturer at Genoa University while organizing workshops and courses in a range of different contexts and institutions.